Bored and Brilliant

*An AudioFile Magazine Earphones Award Winner*

This program is read by the author.

"In this spirited exploration of our relationship with technological devices, Zomorodi's melodic voice beckons and inspires listeners to develop a deeper understanding of how tech devices affect our potential...Zomorodi persuasively conveys her compelling points on the need for reflection to make room for enlightenment in this age of technological overload." — AudioFile Magazine


It’s time to move “doing nothing” to the top of your to-do list.

In 2015 Manoush Zomorodi, host of WNYC’s popular podcast and radio show Note to Self, led tens of thousands of listeners through an experiment to help them unplug from their devices, get bored, jump-start their creativity, and change their lives. Bored and Brilliant builds on that experiment to show us how to rethink our gadget use to live better and smarter in this new digital ecosystem. In this fascinating new audiobook, Manoush explains the connection between boredom and original thinking, exploring how we can harness boredom’s hidden benefits to become our most productive and creative selves, without totally abandoning our gadgets in the process.

Grounding her arguments in the neuroscience and cognitive psychology of “mind wandering” —what our brains do when we're doing nothing at all—Manoush includes practical steps you can take to ease the nonstop busyness and enhance your ability to dream, wonder, and gain clarity in your work and life. The outcome is mind-blowing.

"Bored and Brilliant shows the fascinating side of boredom. Manoush Zomorodi investigates cutting-edge research as well as compelling (and often funny) real-life examples to demonstrate that boredom is actually a crucial tool for making our lives happier, more productive, and more creative. What’s more, the book is crammed with practical exercises for anyone who wants to reclaim the power of spacing out – deleting the Two Dots app, for instance, or having a photo-free day, or taking a 'fakecation'." — Gretchen Rubin, author of #1 New York Times Bestseller The Happiness Project